Jersey City Urby — Courtesy: Courtesy: Urby
By Joshua Burd
The developer of a new Jersey City rental tower has inked a partnership with Airbnb, allowing residents to rent out their apartments through the home-sharing site on a limited basis.
The 69-story building, Jersey City Urby, is the first newly developed property in the tristate area to take part in Airbnb’s Friendly Buildings Program, according to a news release from Ironstate Development. As such, residents of the 762-unit property at 200 Greene St. will be allowed to share their entire apartments or a private room for up to 30 days per year.
The partnership is meant to serve as an added amenity for renters of the building, which opened in March within Jersey City’s Harborside complex, while maintaining transparency with the building manager. The project is a joint venture of Ironstate and Roseland Residential Trust, a subsidiary of Mack-Cali Realty Corp.
RELATED: Ironstate, Mack-Cali launch leasing at new 69-story rental tower on Jersey City waterfront (PHOTOS)
“Urby is a brand that continues to redefine the resident experience, and the partnership with Airbnb is a great example of that,” David Barry, president of Ironstate Development, said in a prepared statement. “Having the ability to use home-sharing sites has become increasingly important to renters.
“By aligning with Airbnb, Jersey City Urby is able to give residents this option, as well as simplify the hosting process so they can enjoy their time away from home.”
Airbnb, a nearly 10-year-old service that has disrupted the hospitality and lodging industry, has come under increased scrutiny from regulators and landlords in recent years. In October 2015, Jersey City became one of the first municipalities in the U.S. to pass comprehensive regulations that foster responsible home-sharing.
Since then, Airbnb has collected and remitted hotel occupancy taxes on behalf of its host community in Jersey City.
“Home sharers and landlords don’t have to be at odds,” said Jaja Jackson, director of multifamily housing partnerships for the San Francisco-based company. “We are thrilled that Jersey City Urby will be the first building in the region to participate in a revenue sharing program with Airbnb. Hopefully, this agreement will be a model for other property managers and owners to emulate in all corners of the tristate area.”
Amenities and common spaces at Jersey City Urby include a fully equipped gym, communal kitchen and a creative lab for residents to participate in hands-on activities such as interior design workshops, flower arranging and homemade apothecary, according to Ironstate. The Jersey City location is the second of a planned series of Urby developments by Ironstate, which has also launched the concept in Staten Island.
